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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28780299">Decompress</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/yangxstevens/pseuds/yangxstevens'>yangxstevens</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Grey's Anatomy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:08:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,015</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28780299</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/yangxstevens/pseuds/yangxstevens</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A fluffy and happy one shot about Izzie and Alex and their new life in Kansas!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alex Karev/Izzie Stevens</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Decompress</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is somewhat canon, somewhat AU. In this alternate reality, Izzie and Alex adopted another kid after they got back together. Basically, Alex wanted a chance to raise a kid with her so they adopted a baby who was abandoned at the hospital. That’s relevant information so this makes a little more sense :)</p><p>I hope you guys enjoy this and if you do, reviews are always appreciated!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Alex shuffled into the house, closing the door behind him as quietly as he could. He knew the kids were probably all out for the night. It was way past the regular time he got home because he was stuck at the hospital facing crisis after crisis.</p><p>He sat down on the bench in the foyer, pulling off his tennis shoes and dropping them by the door. He set his briefcase filled with stupid paper work down next to him.  He was surprised Izzie hadn’t met up with him by the door yet.</p><p>On the nights he worked super late, she’d almost always pad out into the living room to greet him. Half the time she was in her pajamas with a freshly rinsed face. Other times she was in an apron covered in chocolate frosting and flour because she baked when she was stressed. Or sometimes she’d be sleeping peacefully in the kids room, their big bed or even the nursery rocking chair. He figured she must have had a long day just like him.</p><p>He stood, cracking his neck and stretching his aching muscles. He peeked into the living room, not seeing his wife anywhere so he walked down the hall, checking on the twins who were all tucked in and enjoying dreamland. He quietly crept out and popped his head into the nursery. He picked up the baby monitor on the dresser, double checking that the eight month was indeed asleep and not faking it like he had just learned how to do.</p><p>It took all his energy to drag himself into his own bedroom. “You would not believe the crap I’ve had to deal with today.” He shrugged off his jacket, tossing it on the bed, still too focused on his story to look around the room. “I always thought Seattle interns were idiots but Kansas interns are a whole new level of stupid and on top of that this kid was brought in around Eli’s age with a massive head injury due to negligent parents and some plastic board with wheels. This kid freaking died Iz because his parents don’t know what a helmet is.”</p><p>He looked up when he didn’t hear her voice. “Iz?” He realized he had been talking to an empty bed this entire time. He rubbed a hand over his stubbled face, noticing the bathroom light on and the door ajar. </p><p>He crossed the room, nudging the wooden door open. He peeked into the bathroom and he immediately announced his presence with an offended scoff.</p><p>Izzie snapped her head up from where she was sitting on the bathroom floor in one of his old university shirts and pajama pants. She had that green goop all over her face with her blonde hair up in a messy bun. A bottle of wine sat next to the near empty glass on the tile bathtub with the baby monitor perched close by. She smiled at his betrayed look, cheesecake frosting all over her lips. She was mid bite when he walked in so she was holding the fork up with a large portion of delicious cheesecake on it while balancing the nearly empty platter on her knees. “Hi honey.” She hoped the fake sweetness would derail him from what he just witnessed. </p><p>Alex shook his head, glancing her up and down. “Really?”</p><p>She took the bite, wiping her lips. “Don’t give me that look.” She giggled, digging her fork back into what was barely left of the cheesecake. “It’s been a really long day Alex. The kids...it’s like they are trying to break me and it is working. I mean, they are like cancer right now, invading my space, slowing me down! I’m losing my mind because god, I love them but I need a little space...a little time without hearing ‘mommy do this’ or ‘mommy watch this’ and god, I just want a meal to myself.”</p><p>“You really ordered my favorite cheesecake and you’re hiding in our bathroom eating it?” Alex demanded, feigning anger.</p><p>She held up her finger. “Stay away. I earned this tonight. I had back to back surgeries dealing with these monster, of all tumors and then I got home and fed, bathed and put all three kids to sleep.” She laughed at herself, realizing just how worn down and crazy she sounded. “You can’t judge me for this. I’m your wife. You would have done the same. I mean, you hide in the barn when the kids get a little out of hand and then I have to be the mean parent because their daddy can’t ever be the mean parent. Alex, we are outnumbered.” She counted the fingers on her hand. “One. Two. Three. Three! We have three kids and there are two of us and we are surgeons. We are outnumbered.”</p><p>Alex walked farther in, partially closing the door behind him. “I know we are.” </p><p>She combed a hand through her scalp. “You so think I’m crazy, don’t you?” She nodded her head, throwing back the rest of her wine. “You do. You’re gonna have me committed to psyche. You are married to a crazy, irrational, alcoholic, fat mother of three.” She gestured to herself with her hand. “You’re probably thinking about running out that door and never returning. I wouldn’t blame you.”</p><p>“Iz,” Alex laughed. “Of all the things you’ve ever done to me...this hurts the most. Cheesecake? Really?” He paced closer to her. “How could you not wait for me to get home so you could share?” He looked down at the almost empty platter. “Or at least order two?”</p><p>Izzie looked up at him, shrugging her shoulders. “Hey, I was smart...or crazy enough to order myself a breakdown desert...it’s not my fault you didn’t do the same.” She smirked, digging her fork into the last bite. “Your loss.”</p><p>Alex lunged at her. “Ah. Ah. I get the last bite.”</p><p>Izzie shoved him back with one arm while trying to hold the full fork as far away as she could from him. She laughed, still trying to fend him off. “No! Get your own. It’s the last bite which is always the best. Stop!”</p><p>He moved his head in front of hers, taking the last bite before she could even get it to her mouth. She stared in surprise and slight annoyance. He laughed with a full mouth at the look she was giving him. “It’s good. So good.”</p><p>“I hate you,” Izzie retorted. “That was just rude.” She dropped the fork in defeat. “You’re the worst.”</p><p>“Oh stop complaining,” Alex teased, sitting down next to her. “You got the whole damn thing. Plus, I had a hard day and if you were listening to me earlier...you’d know that a young kid died today and I had to tell his arrogant parents so just pity me a little and stop pouting.”</p><p>Izzie shook her head, rolling her dark eyes. “Fine. I won’t hold a grudge on this but only if you never use an excuse like that again. We’re surgeons. We see people die everyday so that means we can’t hide behind that when we steal someone’s cake. It’s just not fair.”</p><p>He nodded his head. “Agreed.”<br/>
He peeked behind her, noticing the bottle of wine. He grabbed it by the neck and tipped it back. </p><p>Izzie pulled it away. “Are you kidding me!?”</p><p>“We’ve both had a rough day Iz. Rough days equal booze.” He glanced at the bottle, taking it back from his wife. “Even if it’s the fruity crap you love so much.”</p><p>She shook her head with a small smile on her lips. “You’re just like the kids. You just walk in and take everything. They get that from you, you know?”</p><p>“Oh shut up,” Alex muttered.</p><p>Izzie studied him for a moment with a devious gleam in her eyes. She reached behind her and poured out some of the green face mask cream onto her fingers. She reached out and swiped it across his forehead. He pulled away, going to wipe it off with his fingers. “What are you doing?”</p><p>“Stop,” Izzie insisted, wrestling with his hands. “Keep it on. It can’t do its magic and rejuvenation if you wipe it off.”</p><p>“That stuff is stupid,” Alex concluded. “I don’t need green paint crap all over my face.”</p><p>She leaned forward, peering at his forehead quizzically. “Honestly, your T-zone could use a little work.”</p><p>He gave her a look, shaking his head. “I hate you.”</p><p>She bursted out into laughter, grabbing his face in her palms and kissing him. “Oh you love me and you know it.” She leaned back against the bathtub. “Who wouldn’t? I’m hot.” She looked down at herself. “Well, maybe not right now but every other time.”</p><p>Alex grinned at her. “Nah. You’re still hot like this. You’re not that hot when you’re smuggling desert in the bathroom but other than that…”</p><p>Izzie smacked him in the chest. </p><p>He laughed, leaning forward to kiss her. “We’re both awake...kids are asleep...alcohol is in our system.”</p><p>She smirked playfully, glancing at the bathroom door. “True. We’re alone.” She raised her eyebrow. “But are you sure you want to when my face is covered in green goop?”</p><p>He looked away, pretending to actually consider it before shrugging his shoulders. “I mean, I’ll just close my eyes.” He leaned forward, kissing her again.</p><p>She let out a shriek of laughter as he pressed her against the cold tile floor. She wrapped her legs around his waist. He traveled his lips to her throat and collarbone and she started to pull the t-shirt over his head when they were interrupted by a baby’s cry.</p><p>“Ugh,” Alex groaned, dropping his head against her chest. He looked back up at her. “I swear to god, it’s like he knows when we are about to…”</p><p>Izzie sighed, motioning her head towards the door. “It’s your turn.”</p><p>He climbed off of her, muttering under his breath the whole time. He paced to the bathroom sink, flicking the water on. </p><p>Izzie sat up, adjusting her top. “Hey, you can’t take that off yet. It needs to cure for another two minutes.” </p><p>Alex looked at her through the mirror, already wetting a towel under the water. “If I don’t take it off...I’m gonna traumatize our son.” </p><p>She didn’t argue as she snatched the baby monitor  and looked at the screen. “Yep. He’s up and when he’s up…”</p><p>Right on cue little Alexis appeared in the doorway, clutching her blanket to her chest. “Malley’s awake and he won’t stop screaming.” She looked around the bathroom and innocently looked back at her mother. “You had sugar this late.”</p><p>Alex finished scrubbing the green face mask off his forehead. He turned to his daughter. “Yeah. Mommy did because mommy’s an adult so she can have sugar whenever she wants.”</p><p>“What? Mom had sugar!” Eli stood next to his sister with his mouth gaping open. “Cheesecake?”</p><p>Alex thought about Izzie’s words earlier that night. He smiled at the twins. “You two need to be in bed. It’s late and you have a big day tomorrow so let’s get you tucked back in.”</p><p>Alexis stuck out her lip and batted her tiny eyelashes at her father. “Can we sleep in your bed? We can’t sleep.”</p><p>Before Alex could cave and prove he was the push over parent, Izzie stood from the tile, picking up both the twins. “Of course you can.” She carried them into the bedroom, dropping them on the bed. “You can sleep with us tonight.” She turned to her husband. “In the meantime daddy will go get your brother settled and back to sleep.”</p><p>Alex nodded, leaning over to kiss Izzie. “You cuddle up with them. I’ll be right back.” He walked out.</p><p>Izzie smiled, climbing under the covers. Soon both Eli and Alex were tucked against her side. She sighed. Even though being a mom sometimes felt impossible...she never wanted to experience another day without her kids. This was her dream.</p><p>————</p><p>The end</p>
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